Team REMY - Interlude
by Darkpenn
Summary: Some secrets shared and some questions unanswered.


**Team REMY – Interlude**

 _Some secrets shared and some questions unanswered._

 _[Author's note: This story follows_ Team REMY's First Adventure _, which in turn follows_ Team REMY _and_ Ruby's Date Story _.]_

"I don't get it," said Melanie, as they drove into the Borderlands – a part of it that had been abandoned by humans, after vicious and persistent Grimm attacks. "I thought the Grimm had no other goal but to kill humans. I thought they did it like an instinct, no questions asked. But from what you tell me the Grimms didn't attack the humans working for Gulch. And when they snatched Coco, they were following fairly complex orders – to bring her to Gulch and not kill her or the runt."

Ruby nodded. "There are many things about the Grimm that we don't understand," she said. "We don't even know where they come from, really. They've just sort of always been there, for as long as anyone can remember."

Yatsuhashi grunted. "I always felt," he said, "that the classes at Beacon Academy left much unexplained. Such as this book, for example."

He was reading one of the books they had retrieved from Gulch's workshop-crypt. It was called _The Phases of the Moon._ It was a very old book, and the paper was cracked and yellowed. What was left of the cover had the words UBLIC LIBRAR on it.

"How could the Moon have phases?" said Edward, "It's always been there, always looked the way it looks."

"According to this, once it was completely round, and it moved so that sometimes it was only partly visible, and sometimes not at all," said Yatsuhashi. He pointed to a series of diagrams.

"Work of fiction, probably," said Melanie. "People make stuff up all the time."

Yatsuhashi gave another grunt.

They drove on for a while.

"Guys," said Ruby. "Have you ever wondered why Remnant is called Remnant? I mean, a remnant of what?"

"Nope, never thought about it," said Melanie. She pulled Hummer to a stop near a river. "You three could do with a wash. And ... I would like one, I suppose. Might be our last chance for a while. And maybe this would be a good spot to camp overnight. So girls here, boys around the bend."

The others nodded agreement.

So a few minutes later Ruby and Melanie were standing on the bank. Melanie undressed and waded in. Ruby stayed where she was.

"What are you waiting for, an engraved invitation?" said Melanie.

Slowly, Ruby undressed. She looked at Melanie: svelte but well-endowed in the chest department, muscular without being heavy, smooth and confident in the way she moved. Ruby looked down at her own, rather small, breasts. She felt short and clumsy and a bit stupid. She sighed. She waded into the water.

"So when are you going to make your move on the big guy?" said Melanie.

"I ... I ... I don't know what you mean," Ruby stammered. "He's ... just a friend, and a comrade."

"Ha!"

Ruby sighed again. "Maybe I wouldn't mind being more than just friends," she said. "But I don't know what to do."

Melanie laughed. "Have you thought about just jumping on him?" she said. "That's what I would do. Of course, for you that would be a pretty high jump."

Ruby didn't want to say that she had thought about it many times, but did not know the first thing about jumping. So she said nothing.

"Ha!" said Melanie again. "Well, you'd better get to it soon. Or I might beat you to it."

 _Uh-oh_ , thought Ruby. "I ... I don't think you're his type," she said.

Melanie shrugged, smiling her crooked smile. "Only one way to find out," she said. "Say, did you know that there's an extra sleeping bag in the car? So you could each have one if you wanted. I mentioned it to the big guy but I guess it slipped his mind."

Ruby started a little. "Guess it did," she said.

They got out of the water and dressed.

They saw Edward and Yatsuhashi walking towards them along the bank. Yatsuhashi had his shirt off. Beads of water dripped from his hair and ran down his chest.

"Oh momma," muttered Melanie.

My feelings exactly, thought Ruby, if that expression means what I think it means. She bit her lip, and felt that sensation of hot liquid in her tummy again. _Oh ... oh ... my ... He's so ... so ... unhhh ... like a really well-constructed weapon or something ..._

"I'll cook," said Edward.

As they ate the meal, Melanie said: "I'm sorry for losing it back there. It's just ... I really miss Mil. Seeing that thing brought it all back."

Yatsuhashi nodded. "Shit happens," he said.

"That it does," said Edward. "It certainly does."

"I'll be alright next time," said Melanie. "I'm sure I will be."

"We understand," said Ruby. "We're a team, right? That means we understand."

Melanie looked her, and then at the others. "So ... that's what it means?" she said.

"Yes," said Ruby. "And it means that we look out for each other. Stand together. Come what may."

"Come what may," said Yatsuhashi.

Melanie looked around at each of them again. "I ... I ... I – " she said. "Er, I'll ... wash the dishes." She collected them and headed to the river.

They prepared to settle down for the night. Yatsuhashi rolled out his sleeping bag. As Melanie walked past Ruby, she whispered: "Try a goodnight kiss."

Ruby stared after her, wondering if she was joking.

She wriggled into the sleeping bag next to Yatsuhashi. She took his arm and put it around her and he did not object.

They stayed like that for a while. She could see that his eyes were still open.

"What are you thinking about?" she said.

"About what you said about Remnant," he said. "And about the phases of the moon. And about you."

"Me? What about me?"

"About how much I enjoy your presence," he said. "About how good it is to be close to you."

She felt her heart turn over. She wriggled up and kissed him on the cheek. She wasn't sure that she was doing it right; she had never kissed anyone before. But he didn't seem to mind.

She leaned back into the crook of his arm, feeling the solidity of the muscle.

After a while, he leaned over and kissed her on the lips. It was, she thought, very pleasant.

She snuggled against him. Eventually, she said: "Goodnight, Yatsu."

"Goodnight, Ruby," he said.

Overhead, in the light of the broken moon, a small Nevermore circled.

END


End file.
